Believing in yourself is key
Jenny Latu Salesa, 49, is the Labour Party candidate for Manukau East.
In the lead up to the general election, we go behind the billboards and party colours to give you a ‘first person’ insight into the aspiring candidates. We are publishing their images in black and white so you can get to see them as people not just as politicians and their political brands. #gettingcandid
Getting candid: How long have you lived here and where are you originally from?
I was born and raised in the Kingdom of Tonga. My family and I moved to New Zealand in the 1980s and were homeless for the first two to three years. After we could afford rent, we moved to Blockhouse Bay, then Papatoetoe and then moved to Ma¯ngere.
Give me three words that come to mind when I say ‘South Auckland’?
Papatoetoe, tara, ta¯huhu.
Where’s the best place to buy dinner in your electorate?
The Secret Thai Garden, ta¯huhu.
What’s one piece of wisdom you’d like to pass on to others, particularly young people?
Believe in yourself. It is absolutely possible to overcome struggles in life with the right attitude, being aspirational, with
‘‘It is absolutely possible to overcome struggles in life with the right attitude.’’
family support and much hard work.
What’s one trial or struggle that you’ve overcome?
I was a teenager when my family moved here and had already passed NZ School Certificate and University Entrance. However, due to the pressures of adjusting to life here, I dropped out of school. I was unemployed for a while then became a hotel kitchen hand and worked in a bank before going to university, where I graduated in 1996 with BA/LLB conjoint degrees.
Who is the Kiwi you admire most- and why?
Michael Joseph Savage. His vision and commitment to housing families is a constant inspiration. Under his leadership, the first Labour Government responded to the public need for housing by building thousands of solid state houses that were excellent homes for generations.
When I’ve got a free few
Labour will build 100,000 affordable homes, 50 per cent in Auckland, and ban overseas speculators from buying houses unless they build new ones. All rental properties will have to be warm, dry and healthy.
We’ll provide three years of free, post-school education for both university and trades, beginning in January 2018. We’ll offer another $150 per student to schools that don’t ask parents for donations; give every school student access to a mobile digital device; and ensure students leave school with vital life skills, including a drivers’ licence and financial literacy.
GP visits will be cheaper by at least $10. We’ll tackle the mentalOO¯¯ health crisis by investing in services and putting nurses into every public high school.
It’s important families have a decent income. We’ll increase the minimum wage, initially to $16.50 an hour, and promote the Living Wage.